Press.



l.. C. MCLUUTH.

' Pmss.

. APPLICATION FILED MAR.23. 1914.

1,258,424. Patented Mar. 5, 1918.`

*im f s f7' mgl 7..-....7 I4 n. .U95

@ww/nto@ Witnemo LA @W E, C, M

lLlEWIS C. MCLOUTI-l, 0F YPSILANT, IvfIC-IIGAN, ASSIGNOR TG MICHIGrAN CROWN FENDER CIVIPANY, OF YPSILANTI, VlCHIGAN, A CORPRATION OF MCHIGAN.

PRESS.

Application filed March 23, 1914.

'o LLM 'tofu/nt il? may concer/it.'

lle it known that l, Lnwis C. ll/lcLon'ri-i, a citizen of lthe United titates, and a resi dent of Ypsilanti, in the county of lilaslr lenaw and rltate of lldlchigan, have invented a new and lmproved lress, of which the il'ollouf'ing is a specilication.

'lf his invention relates to means for crowning or embossing plates of sheet metal, and its object is to provide a device whereby such embossing may be performed upon sheets which are generally substantially semicylindrical.

This invention consists in combination `with a base and a female die whose operative face is substantially that of the finished article, of a male die consisting of two parts normally held together and which can be eX- panded or separated in such a manner that the sheet metal is forced against the operative face of the female die with great pressure.

This invention further consists in the details of construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing and particularly pointed out in the annexed claims.

ln the accompanying drawing Figure 1 is a front elevation of this improved device. liig. is a central transverse section of the same substantially parallel to the front face shown in Fig. 1. liig. 3 is a similar section showing a modified form of male die. lig. Lt is a section on the line i--slof Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the linished material. Fig. 6 is a cross section of the same.

Similar reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

llhile this improved device may be employedfor embossing sheet metal for any other purposes, it is particularly adapted for embossing or crowiring"7 the fenders which extend around the rear wheels of automobiles, in substantially the manner shown in Figs. 5 and G of the drawings. This crowning can be done in many ways where the curve of the fender is not very great, but when the fenders are to be used in conneetion with the rear wheels of 'vehicles it often desirable that they shall be substantially semi-circular in longitudiinil. cross section. `Where such construction is desired this present device is peculiarly adapted for the crowning or embossing.

ln the drawings, 1 is a base, either of Specification of Letters Patent.

to descend.

lilatented Mar. 5, 1918.

serial No. 826,496.

timber or cast iron, having shoulders 2 against which the springs 3 engage. From this base or any other proper support the 'upright guides r-Il; may extend and pass through t ie ears 5 formed on the female die G. Lugs 7 on the upper side of the female die are connected to links S of any desired type by means of which the female die (3 may be moved up and down. lWhile this female die may also be made of wood, it is preferably made of iron.

The male die is formed of two pieces 10 and 11 which rest on the base 1 and are prevented from sliding laterally thereon by means of the guides 12. The lower erids of these parts are held together by means of the springs 13 which extend between the pins lll, or by the springs 3, or by all of them together.

Extending over the members 10 and 11 is a plate 1G of thin sheet metal, and on this sheet metal rests a pad 17 of some elastic material. preferably rubber. Along the edges of this pad are placed the narrow strips 18 of strongl lflexible material, preferably leather.

The lower or inner face of the female die 0 is of the exact form which it is desired to impart to the sheet metal. When the female die 6 is lifted free of the male die, the sijirings will force the lower ends of 'the parts ill and 11 of this male die together, after which the blank of the sheet metal of proper width and length will be laid over this tuale die, the edges of the blank resting on the strips 18. The machine will then he started and the female die G permitted lt will first press against the edges of the blank over the leather strips 18, immediately above the central line of the male die, and compress the edges of the pad at this point. This will result in the blank being forced up into the middle por tion of the shallow groove 20 formed in the leniale die, but not until the edges of the blank metal have been so firmly gripped between the female die and the leather strips 18 that no crimping or folding is possible. ns the female die descends, the outer edges of the parts 10 and 11 of the niale die will. begin to nieve away from each other, and the result will be t; ali pressure will begin to trarel longitudinally of these leather strips 18 and of the pad 17 toward the ends thereof and that slowly the crown Q7 will be formed on the sheet metal blank without permitting the edojes thereof to crimp. This `gradual separation of the lower portions of the malel die permits the production of a fender 2b having' a high crown 27 extendingl from end to end thereof (or nearly so as shown), and also the production of a crowned fender 'of more than 180 degrees of arc in length. The shoulders limit the spread ing movement ef the lower ends of the mem-- bers of the male die and thereby avoid wet ging` of the male die in the female die. The springs 3 cause the ends of the members of the male dic to again approach each other when the dies are separated.

While 2 shows a connection between the parts 1Q and il formed by constructing the part ll with a semi-cylindrical portion 2l that is adapted to slide in the corresponding,l groove Q2 of the part 10, this is not alw ways necessary, as for many types of fender the parts 24; and 25 shown in Fig. 3 will be found to answer perfectly. These two parts contact along` their adjacent upper edges and the small groove between these edges is covered by means of the sheet-mctal plate 16.

The details and proportions of this construction may all be varied to meet the different requirements without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the following claims.

I claim l. In a press for embossing plates of sheet metal, the combination of avertically 1novable solid female die having a semi-cylindrical lower surface formed with a shallow circumferential groove,` a base plate, an expansible male die comprising a pair of coacting members contacting at their upper edges and having: their lower ends slidably mounted on said base plate, springs to normally hold the lower ends of these die mem bers together, and a resilient pad extending over and around the upper surfaces of said male die and adapted to be forced into the entire shallow groove in the female die when the latter descends and forces the lower ends of the male die members to separate.

2. In a press for embossing` plates of sheet metal, the combination of a base, a female die movable toward and from the base. and a male die mounted on the base and comprising,- two members whose upper ends remain in Contact and whose lower ends are separable to permit them to conform to the operative surface of the female die.

3. In a press for embossing1 plates of sheet metal, the combination of a base, a female die movable toward and from the base, a male die mounted on the base and compris ing1 two members whose upper ends remain in contact and whose lower ends are separable to permit them to conform to the opera* Lesa/tea tive surface of the female die, and a pad of resilient material ertendiimr over the opera tive surface of the male die, p

d. In a press for embossing1 plates of sheet metal, the combination of a female die havinp; a curved operative face provided with a groove, a base plate, a pair of sepz'irablc members mounted on the base and constituting the male die, springs to normally hold the separable members toward each other, a pad of resilient material en Jending over the male die, and strips of fieriible material eX- tendinn alonel the edges of the pad and adapted to be engaged by the female die.

5. In a press for embossing plates of sheet metal, the combination of a female die having; a curved operative face provided with a groove, a base plate, a pair of separable members mounted on the base and Constitutinn1 the male die, springs to normally hold the separable members toward each other, a pad of resilient material extending over the male die, strips of fiexible material extendinp; alone` the edges of the pad and adapted to be engaged by the female die, and a sheet of thin metal between the pad and the male die.

6. A press comprising' a female die having a curved opening' therein, a collapsible male die adaptedto be received in the curved opening in the female die, one of said dies beine; movable in respect to the other, said male die comprising ftwo members having cooperating bearing'- surfaces at the end nearest the female die whereby they are operatively joined and having" curved outer surfaces corresponding to the curved open- 'Y ine; in the female die, means for causing the other ends of the members of the male die to spread apart `as the movable die approaches the other die, and means for limitingthe spreadingi movement of the lower ends of the members of the male die where by wedgine; of the male die in the female die is avoided.

7. A press comprising' a female die havingr an openingtherein curved in longitudr nal cross-section and also curved in transverse crossssection, a collapsible male die adapted to be received in the opening, in the :female die, one of said dies beine` movable 'toward and from the other, said male die comprising two members having; coperatine' bearing' surfaces at the end nearest the female die whereby they are operatively joined, and having` outer surfaces curved to correspond to the longitudinal curvature of the boundary of the opening in the female die, a sheet of resilient material upon the surface of the male die, means for causing the other ends of the members ofthe male die to spread apart as the movable die approaches the other die, means for limiting, the spreading of said other ends of the members of the male die whereby wedging ofthe male die in the female die is avoided, and means :for causing' the ends of the members oil the, male die to again approach each other when the dies are separated.

8. A press comprising` a female die having' an openingtherein curved iu longitudinal eross-section and also curved in transverse cross-section, a collapsible male die adapted to be received in the curved opening` iu the female, die, one of said dies beine; movable in respect to the other, said male die comprising' tvvo members having,` cooperating bearing surfaces at the end nearest the female die whereby they are operatively joined, and havnp; outer sur- :laces curved to correspond to the longitudiual curvature of the boundary of the openiulg; in the 'female die, a resilient pad upon the last-named surfaces oi the male die,

means whereby the ends of the members of the male die opposite the bearing` surfaces are caused to spread apart as the movable die approaches the other die, and means for limiting the spreading movement of said ends of the members of the male die Whereby Wedgiuo of the male die in the female die is avoided, said bearing surfaces ou the members 01 the male die being of relatively large radius whereby Wearing of the pad upon the male die is reduced.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribingr Witnesses.

LEW'IS G. MCLOUTH.

l/Vitnesses:

HUGO W. KREINBRING, HARRY J. FERRELL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G. 

